Sunday, 29 June 2014

I don't know about you, but I don't always buy what I need for the family grocery , and as a result can mean impulse buying on food, that is not to say that we can't have our treats in life ! but with a little planning we can factor in treats in our lives.
Take this weekend for example we are off to a family picnic , now I could go and be lazy and just buy a meal deal for 3 and it would cost £9 but I got to thinking what if I spend that £9 and created my own picnic?! Most staples you'll already have it in.

"I am not going to the shop again : said Mr T

First was the wraps.

Simple and quick !

The day before I had set about making a carrot cake I was lacking walnuts and the spices that usually go in, I made my recipe up as I went along it was what I've come to call a boredom bake.

Ingredients
200g of finely grated carrots

175g Soft Brown Sugar200g of wholemeal flour

3 Large Free range eggs

175ml sunflower oil or olive oil

75g Ground Almonds

1 and half teaspoon vanilla flavouring ( mine was made from vanilla pods but was a liquid )

Icing sugar

Natural orange flavouring /orange juice or 2tbsp of orange juice/water
MethodPreheat the oven to 180C/Gas 4/fan 160C. Grease a brownie tin or any other tin that you usually use ( that is square ) non stick is the best. l always use Lakelands cake release finding no need to worry about using baking parchment etc, but use what suits you.

Next tip the sugar,ground almonds, vanilla flavouring into bowl, afterwards pour in the oil and add the eggs. Then with a wooden spoon lightly mix, adding in the grated carrot and mix again.Shift the flour and bicarbonate of soda into the bowl and then lightly mix all the ingredients – when everything is equally combined then it is time to stop mixing. amalgamated stop mixing. The resulting mixture will be be fairly soft.Next pour the mixture into your prepared tin and bake for around 40 -45 minutes Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 40- 45 minutes. When it is down it should feel warmth and springy in the centre. Let the cake cool in the tin then turn out onto cooling rack.Mix the icing sugar in a small bowl with either the water combined with the orange flavouring if you haven't got orange juice to hand, or you could even hand squeeze some.Then place the cake on a cake sat and or serving plate and boldly drizzle the icing back and forth , flourishing with some grated orange peel to finished off.

I used some Liberty Print hankies I had won from Flax & Mallow as a placement to set my cake stand upon ( I have only one cake stand! )

I think I am a converted Liberty Print fan .
"Oh joy the bank balance" said Mr T
"Don't worry they are only £6 each or 2 for £10" said I ( Mrs Ninja Cat)

I then cut up the carrot cake into squares ready for our picnic pleasures * the annual family picnic my husband is one of 7 so you can imagine it is a very big clan meeting.

How exciting that House of Fraser have included me in a Blogger cook book , it is so exciting seeing your name and recipe in print.

Thursday, 26 June 2014

So I've been blogging since 2011 I've come along way , had amazing opportunities , made a great set of friends on line and in real life. Then there's the down side which coupled with stress leaves you rather down.

Mistakes.

Hurting friends.

I'll not apologise any more.

I liken my self to Hagrid well meaning but gets it wrong and blamed for mistakes.

Tuesday, 24 June 2014

It was a beautiful summers evening when my friend Lorraine and I strolled down to Convent garden after a busy day at #Britmumslive the air was warm but a slight and gentle breeze settling upon my ears. Well actually we hopped in a taxi as we were cream crackered but you get the picture and the scene is other wise set.

I love Convent Garden I adore it, I am always talking about it, I love the colour, the vibrancy, the architecture , shops & restaurants. it is such a social place that I can't help but flock to it when I am in London . Convent Garden draws you in and I am very much happy to being in it's persuasive charms , I feel at a loss when I have to leave its natural charms. The restaurant I had been invited to and review was 21 Convent garden and I was more than happy to accept along with my companion Lorraine.It was a little to dark to eat outside but earlier in the evening I think it something we would have done. Upon arriving we found the entrance of which there are two but we went down a little spiral staircase in a subterranean world which was a cellar and were shown to a little booth , which intimate enough but just enough to people watch if you so wished.StartersAfter pursuing the extensive menu, I settle upon Lamb Cutlets with a salsa verde, rocket & pecorino priced at £10.50.

LAMB CUTLETS salsa verde, rocket & pecorino

I love the presentation and the fact that your don't have have every meat dish served with some potato dish in whatever guise, though I did have a side order of new potatoes.

Lorraine choose Black Pepper Calamari Saffron Aioli priced at £7.25 and the presentation on this again demonstrated that the way food is shown , doesn't have to be just plonked on a plate.

BLACK PEPPER CALAMARI
saffron aioli

The calamari came with the mayonnaise which was saffron infused.

Main course

Prior to coming I had been exchanging emails from a lovely lady at The Print room and one of her recommendations was the Figaro pizza £14.25 , I had told this to Lorraine who promptly ordered it !

In all honesty , you would share if you have haven't had starter and then had dessert after, but Lorraine seemed very happy with it !

When The pizza came the waitress told us that previously it had anchovies on it and that not many people found that appealing, so they now made the Figaro pizza with out this and it is now an even firmer favourite.

I on the other hand decided to orderSalmon cooked in a paper bag with baby leeks, garlic rosemary and broccoli, looking back on the net I see this fish was previously monk fish , salmon I think better in this Italian environment with salmons natural affiliation to pasta etc.

SALMON COOKED IN A PAPER BAGbaby leeks, garlic, rosemary & broccoli

I have to say it was amazing, the smells and aromas can reach you as you read this review so the only thing you can do is to try the restaurant out for yourself.

Cocktails

Who doesn't love a cocktail ?! this was in lieu of having a pudding , having a cocktail is a treat for me and pin points a memory.

BodEguita 21 English twist on a Latin classic, blended Beefeater gin, strips of cucumber,mint leaves lime for a mellow, minty hit ( the cocktail in the tall glass) The other cocktail is Tickled Pink cocktail A gorgeous mix of home-infused strawberry wine Chambord, finished with a splash of lemonade. £8 each but they do have cocktail hours.

Sunday, 22 June 2014

This was what happened at Britmums a gathering of great minds , a melting pot of ideas , pooling together resources. Crowd sourcing in the greatest capacity known to blogging community , drip feeding of ideas, modelling , evolving , growing as a person.

Emotional wobbles but wise words from social butterflies ; I've grown this Britmums got a little upset but a certain social butterfly pulled me in. keynotes have the ability to trigger emotions buried deep, that is what they are their for. So many heart warming and emotional journeys and oh how we tried but couldn't contain our emotions.

I had one of my best blogging pals there @meedja from squeaky baby.

As ever I blog myself happy.

#Britmumslive

Me with the spoontacular @spoonpaws !

Evolving.

Crying.

Learning.

Hurting myself and others.

The blogosphere is a bigger place than I thought and that is why I have taken steps to concentrate on me and get back to knowing my friends..

When I think of bunting I think back to the Silver Jubilee of 1977 and later on the Diamond Jubille , bunting is indicative of street parties.

Who doesn't love to see pretty bunting flapping in the breeze on a summers day with a gentle breeze blowing through.

And oh how I loved bunting at the last Jubilee , bunting is fun , bunting is lazy summers days.

How To Make Paper Bunting

You can use any paper you like from old wrapping paper, to comics ( just make sure they aren't rare comics old seer music etc.

You will need paper scissors and glue and ribbon.

You can choose a theme floral or perhaps vintage

Cut triangles out of paper using a template for uniformity .

As the bunting is made of paper it won't withstand the ultimate rain we are likely to have , so perfect for indoors.

Fabric bunting

Fabric bunting is as easy as paper bunting to make.
Mother Scuffer loves her buntingin fact she you are there search her blog as she has at least six bunting posts, she loves a good bit of burning does that Mother Scuffer !

Monday, 16 June 2014

I love nothing better on occasions than when I have time to myself but to go for a cup of tea and and jacket potato, the crying shame is that you are not obliged to buy cake, and you must dictate "I want that slice , please" in a cake endured hypnotic stare.

That is a refinement and a timeless edge to a cup of tea in a proper cup and saucer and the pieces of china don't even have to match. The little things in life become the biggest of all and are our emotional glue.

Next it is on to the local art centre where there is a exhibition on football is there something going on at the moment but I suspect it might have to do with the absence of my husband, who sounds instructions at the television as if manager of the team will hear him. Either than or he knows more about the beautiful game than Seb Blatter.

After which it is trawl around the charity shops which brings a bounty of some tops and vintage Ladybird books, much schoolgirl sniggering is to be had at some of the pages. And the femisits might be thinking that 'Mummy' does an awful lot but fear not daddy is back for bedtime.

Further wandering reveals shops and prettiness, ideas and linking together ; emotional glue.